FastUpFront Small Business Blog

With holiday sales slumping across the board and consumer confidence holding at all-time lows, some small businesses are finding creative ways to keep customers coming and buying. If you are looking for ways to revamp your marketing strategy without straining your budget here are five techniques that work. And as you can see from the [...]

As our economy sputters along, the issue of health care has become a real headache. With the cost of health insurance on the rise amid a general push towards bootstrapping and business restructuring, businesses big and small are struggling to provide a decent plan for their employees, and those who have recently lost their jobs [...]

It is common among small businesses that employees learn to become expert jugglers who must successfully manage numerous, often unrelated positions and responsibilities. And as the current economic downturn continues to hinder sales and cut into profit margins, this trend is only getting stronger. While combining positions may be a necessary step towards conserving capital and riding [...]

Does the daily grind of running a small business leave you feeling like you need a little inspiration? Here is a star-studded line-up of the most influential celebrities in business. Some of these pop icons basking in the limelight have used their personalities and business acumen to become successful business tycoons; others are savvy entrepreneurs who [...]

In about two months, the responsibility of running our country will be put into the hands of President-Elect Barack Obama. For me, as a small business owner, the thought of a new administration in the White House automatically conjures up a funny mixture of hope, anxiety, and nervous anticipation. Rarely in history has a new [...]

In recent months, the demand for organic products may have dropped, but it should not be taken as a sign that the “go-green” movement has met its demise. Expect a transformation instead. Whether you subscribe to the drive for all things organic and sustainable, are unabashedly opposed to it, or fall somewhere in between, there [...]

With the cost of business travel soaring ever upward, video conferencing has become a practical and popular alternative to face-to-face meetings. But even if you are not meeting in person, you should not leave your etiquette behind. Here are a few guidelines and tips on making the most of your video conferencing. Plan Ahead: Check [...]

The trend to “go green” has been leaving its footprint in countless industries. Small businesses that typically have limited resources to invest in things like renewable energy or environmental business consultants can still have a positive effect on the environment without making a huge investment of time or money. Here is a “how-to” for small [...]

Want to make it big as an entrepreneur? Check out these recent odd and quirky business ideas. P.S. These ideas could not have been too “stupid” as they have all made millions of dollars for the entrepreneurs who started them although I’m not sure how easy it was for them to secure small business loans [...]

Even with all the talk of an economic recession, opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners abound. Upscale consumerism, green consciousness, products and services for the elderly, a dizzying array of cutting-edge computers and mobile devices, all of these areas promise rapid growth. Plus, many of these industries target broad markets leaving the door wide [...]